Claimed Innocence
by ani.tenshi
Summary: A bet can lead to many things, but can it bring love? Sakura's innocence is in question, which only serves to drive Sasuke over the edge. After all, anger will always be the one thing that triggers his actions.
1. Chapter 1: The Bet

**A/N:** This is my new story. I hope you'll like it! :)

_Huge thanks goes to my beta reader ― who wants to stay anonymous ― for being so nice and fixing up this chapter for me! :)_

. . . . .

**Summary: **A bet can lead to many things, but can it bring love? Sakura's innocence is in question, which only serves to drive Sasuke over the edge. After all, anger will always be the one thing that triggers his actions.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto!

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_**Claimed Innocence**_

_1__st__ Chapter: The Bet_

Sakura swore that her life was going in a direction she never considered realistically possible. Honestly, she had to admit to herself that '_never_' was not the right word, because at one time she definitely desired for this sort of outcome. However, after everything that happened in the last three years, she stopped dreaming like an immature twelve year old. Those dreams were just a part of her past. Slowly she came to learn that life was not a set of colorful dreams, especially not when Uchiha Sasuke was involved. After witnessing a different reality, she finally learned to not delude herself with impossible things. She was no longer the same girl ― there were no similarities between that naive fool who believed in fairytales and the woman she was now.

Nevertheless, sometimes fate did not play fair and she had to accept that as a part of her life.

Everything started with the incredible mess created by her so called best friend, Ino. It was one of those weeks when everything turned upside down right from the start, and ended in an immeasurable chaos.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

The summer had just begun, but apparently the weather change was so drastic that it actually ruined everyone's daily routines. Almost every villager was taking the day off, all of them hoping to cool off under the shade of a tree or by enjoying a couple of cold beverages. In other words, the day was unofficially proclaimed as an off the chart vacation.

To make it worse, Ino was completely annoyed because of it. This was one of the days she managed to convince Sakura to take a break from her work at the hospital, but the blaring sun had to ruin everything. As she walked down the street toward her friend's apartment, she held an open palm above her eyes in an utter attempt to shield them from the piercing sunrays. The fact that she also started sweating like a pig was of no help, either.

"This sucks. Now, I must find a fun way to cool off that won't melt my makeup," she thought in defeat. She focused her mind on it, but she could not think of a good plan to fill their day and at the same time be exciting enough for Sakura to start accepting her invitations with much more eagerness.

"Yo." The sudden greeting coming from Genma startled her out of her thoughts.

"Geez, Genma, you _scared_ me," Ino gasped, as she clutched her chest. Upon noticing his unusual attire, she asked shockingly, "What in the world are you wearing?"

His answer was a cocky smile. "My favorite blonde in the whole village… this must be my lucky day!" he exclaimed, as he eyed her up.

His choice in clothing was way too casual for a Jounin, but she told herself that she should not have been surprised at all. After all, this was Genma and nothing was ever _normal_ when it came to him. Besides, it was really hot outside, so it was understandable why he was clad only in shorts with his shirt hanging around his neck. The most noticeable detail, however, ― at least, to Ino ― was his handsome bare chest covered in sheen of sweat.

Her eyes were practically glued to the glorious sight, but she suddenly realized that she had to compose herself, before she gave him the wrong idea. But, that was beside the point, because she was definitely not impressed by the mischievous look he was sending her way. That look told her enough already, that he was certainly up to something ― something that was terrible, but usual for him.

Ever since she and Sakura turned eighteen, Genma's attitude toward them changed drastically. He became bolder in his advances and definitely more straightforward with his suggestions. Sakura's fiery temper rarely shut him down, and it only served to turn him on. And Ino, on the other hand, felt as if her blow-offs tempted him more than serve their purpose.

'_If only Asuma was alive,_' she thought bitterly. '_He would've scared him away for life._'

Still, she was more than capable of taking care for herself. But, that never prevented Genma from acting a bit more casual with both her and Sakura. He never breached the line they set for him, but he still teased them enough to irritate them.

"Genma, I'm not in the mood, so just leave me alone," she casually dismissed him, and continued walking.

However, he was persistent for some reason and turned to follow in step right next to her. "Ah… I'm hurt, Ino," he playfully teased. "Is that the proper way to greet me?"

"I told you already! I'm―" she started, but he interrupted her speech.

"Too bad," he said, his eyes glinting humorously. Apparently, there was something going in his head that humored him, so he kept teasing, "And, here I thought that you would be interested to hear about the lake party I'm hosting."

Those words made her stop in her tracks. "What! You're hosting a lake party?" she asked in astonishment, her blue eyes shining with excitement. At that moment she realized that this could be exactly what she was looking for. "Please, tell me it's today," she begged with a pleading look.

"Of course, it's today… haven't you noticed how hot it is?" he asked, mocking her surprise.

She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm that irritated her so. "How in the world did you get permission for this?" she asked curiously.

"I have my ways," he answered in the most roguish way possible, his eye glinting with some form of self-fulfillment.

"Forget it. I shouldn't have asked," she dryly commented, her eyes narrowed. Even if she appeared irritated, she was still incredibly curious as to exactly what he did to pull this party off. It was widely known that the Hokage had to give consent for any party hosted by a shinobi that worked for the village and there was no way around it. But, she was sure that he wasn't doing something forbidden.

She observed him suspiciously for a few seconds. '_I guess Shizune couldn't resist his charm... or he bribed Tsunade with a few bottles of sake,_' she thought.

"So, when does the party start?" she finally asked, because she couldn't help herself ― an out-door party excited her.

"In two hours," he shrugged. The look on his face was rather smug, being the host an all.

"Great!" she chirped excitedly.

Genma looked at his watch and made a stunned face. "Oh, shoot! I'm late… I still have a few more people to invite!" he exclaimed urgently looking back toward the road like he was in a hurry, which only gave one suggestion ― the party was not a small gathering for a few selected people ― that much was obvious.

"So, it's going to be big, huh?" she asked, hoping to hear a positive answer. She really loved parties, especially when they were crowded.

"You'll see." He winked at her, flashing a seductive smile.

Ino rolled her eyes at him_,_ wondering when he'd realize that she was _not_ interested. However, despite his irritable attitude, she gave him silent praise for his good looks and his taste in women.

He looked at his watch for a second time, and he bounced on his feet as he realized how late it was. Then, he waved in haste, and ran down the road.

Ino took that as her cue to go and share the incredible news with her friend. She was sure that even Sakura would be ecstatic to hear about the party. The only thing they had to forget was that Genma was the one hosting it.

Her excited musings came to a halt. Genma forgot to tell her something, she realized, once he hollered from behind her, "Hey, Blondie!"

She felt her anger rising at that little nickname he gave her. It was always Blondie with her, and Pinky with Sakura. Unable to suppress her fury, she turned to give him a piece of her mind, but he beat her to it with his own shout.

"You better be there and don't forget to invite Pinky for me!"

Before she was able to bite an insult at him, he was already gone.

"He'll never change… he's such a pervert!" she muttered angrily, as she stomped in the direction of Sakura's apartment.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

_Big_ was definitely the understatement of the century. Practically every Konoha shinobi was there ― at least, the ones that were not on a mission. Even Tsuande was taking a day off, sitting at a table under the biggest umbrella near the lake.

"This is nice," Ino hummed pleasantly. She was having way too much fun just sitting near the lake, with a cold drink by her side and most importantly, wearing her favorite bikini.

"Sure is," Sakura agreed eagerly. "Best day ever!" she added, before putting her sunglasses on in order to shield her eyes from the piercing sunrays.

"Too bad we have Genma to thank for it," Ino groused.

"Oh, right… I don't like the idea of thanking _him_ for anything," Sakura couldn't help but agree. "He might take it the wrong way."

They were both not pleased with his advances, so anything that served as additional encouragement was a definite _no-no_ in their hand-book.

"We can always just skip the pleasantries," Ino suggested casually.

"I like that," Sakura said, a playful smile grazing her lips.

Ino snorted a laugh at who she saw coming toward them. "Speak of the devil."

The ladies-man himself came to stand over them with his hair dripping wet.

"Hello, ladies!" he greeted. "Are you having fun?"

"We are!" Sakura said, a huge smile spreading on her lips. She told herself that there was no harm in being honest, even if there _was_ a possibility that he would think of it as flirting.

"I'm glad," he said, his lips lifting in an inviting half-smile.

Sakura suddenly became very aware of his hand on her shoulder. "Take your hand off of me!" she spat impatiently, shooting him with a warning look.

He quickly removed his hand, his expression displeased. But, in the next instant he already forgot about it and asked eagerly, "Would you ladies like to join us in a game of volleyball?"

"No, thank you," Ino snapped.

"Oh, c'mon!" he flirted.

"Genma, just forget it," Sakura growled, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Okay, I can take a hint," he said, acting like he was hurt by their rejection, and lifted himself on his feet. As he moved away from their table, he called, "By the way, I _love_ your bikini, Pinky! You should wear it more often." He winked at her suggestively over his shoulder and walked away.

"Urgh… he sure has a knack for ruining my mood," Sakura grumbled, slamming back into the chair.

"Tell me about it," Ino agreed, as she rubbed sunscreen on her shoulders.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

'_Naruto?_' Sakura scanned her surroundings for her teammate. She spotted him running toward them, lowered her sunglasses, and smiled affectionately at his obnoxiousness. It was definitely not unexpected to see him so chipper, especially since now he had a really good reason to be happy.

"Hey, Ino!" greeted the blond, upon reaching their table.

The huge smile on his face was contagious, so Ino flashed him an equally big grin. "Hey, Naruto!"

He kneeled right next to his teammate. "This is so cool!" he said, but as he looked at the huge crowd he frowned. "Too bad the bastard is on his first ANBU mission and missed all this," he dejectedly shared his thoughts with Sakura.

She just smiled sadly at his words. If she was being honest, she would have admitted that she missed the Uchiha. However, she was trying very hard to suppress her feelings and forget about him ― all so she would be able to protect her heart from further suffering.

Seeing the sad smile on her face, Naruto tried to cheer her up. "So, we're going to greet him at the gate together on Friday, right?" he asked, hopefully.

If he hadn't given her such a sweet smile, she might have just kept on thinking about the unrequited love she suffered from. Instead, she thought that Naruto would always be her savior, always there to remind her that at least they brought him back.

"Yes, definitely," she finally answered, her lips lifting into a gentle smile.

"It's really nice that we're back to being a team," he said, settling on the ground beside her and sighing contentedly.

"It really is, Naruto," she agreed, joy filling her heart. She was really grateful that she could, at least, see him back in their lives and doing well. The years he spent away from them were incredibly torturous for her, so this was definitely more than she could ask for. With time she'd learn to live with her love pushed in some faraway corner of her heart.

After some time of just sitting beneath the scorching hot sun, Ino broke the silence. "Hey, forehead… I got an idea!" A wicked smile lifted her lips, as she played with the fresh thought in her mind.

It did not take much time for the pink-haired girl to recognize that look on Ino's face as something highly unwelcomed for her. '_Oh, no._' She was used to her friend's iniquitous ideas to the extent of learning that the end result was never good. "Why don't I like the sound of this?" she grumbled under her breath.

"Don't worry; it's nothing we haven't done before," Ino assured her, attempting to persuade her friend. Besides, the smile on her face was too vicious to be considered innocent.

Sakura sighed lazily, a sure sign that she was giving into the temptation to at least hear what Ino had to suggest. "Okay, spill it!"

The blonde smile triumphantly, as she practically bounced in her chair out of excitement. "I bet that you won't be able to beat me in a spar on the lake!" she screeched, making both Sakura and Naruto flinch.

Sakura stared at her, her brows narrowing into a scowl. "Oh, no! I'm not having another bet with you," she disagreed with much resolve.

"Why?" Ino asked, her expression portraying surprise and slight disappointment. She thought that Sakura would jump at her idea, but she definitely did not expect a flat out rejection.

"Because, if you don't remember the disaster from last time, I certainly do," Sakura explained casually, before she leaned back in her chair in an attempt to ignore Ino's incoming pleadings.

"Singing on the streets at the top of our lungs is _hardly_ a disaster," Ino argued.

"I disagree, because it was in the middle of the night and so off-key, that even after six months I _still_ want to die from embarrassment," Sakura spat out angrily, her mind going over the incident. Accepting that drinking bet was definitely a mistake ― because even if she won she still made a fool out of herself.

Naruto snorted a laugh, but Sakura shut him up with her fist and fierce warning, "Naruto, stop sniggering like a moron!"

He brought his hands up to rub the sore spot on his head. "Sakura-chaaan," he whined, "you don't have to be so mean! It was funny."

"Whatever," she grumbled lowly, the menacing look in her eyes never ceasing to burn. Then, she turned her full attention on Ino, determined to prove her point.

Ino appeared unconvinced. "You're exaggerating, Sakura. I don't think that anyone even recognized us."

"Maybe not you, but I had to deal with the consequences for a whole month," Sakura seethed the words through her teeth.

Ino rolled her eyes at Sakura's words, thinking that it really was no big deal and spoke disbelievingly, "That's not true."

"Well, my patients never forgot to ask me if I was one of the silly girls that sang in the streets at ungodly hours," Sakura pointed out, wishing she could forget all about it.

"They called us silly?" Ino's mouth hung open in astonishment. If she ever tried to describe that drunken behavior, she definitely would have never called it silly ― and, she never considered herself silly, or Sakura for that matter. "They don't know what _real_ fun is," she added, for good measurement.

"So, what are we betting on?" Sakura asked, her tone betraying her curiosity.

Ino looked at Sakura with surprise. "Oh… so, now you're interested, huh?" she asked, her tone self-satisfactory.

"I'm just curious," Sakura said innocently, trying to cover up her true feelings. In reality, she was really interested in the challenge set by her friend.

"Fine, be that way!" Ino spat out, hating it when her friend feigned disinterest. Afterward, she answered simply, "The loser will have to suffer a certain punishment set by the winner."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Sakura admitted, at which Ino smiled hopefully. "Besides, we haven't sparred in a while. It should be entertaining."

Her acceptance made the blonde truly wound up. "See, I told you, it'll be fun!" Ino clapped her hands excitedly.

"This is going to be awesome, Sakura-chan!" Naruto chimed in, a blinding smile stretching his lips.

Sakura glared at him for acting so cheerful about it and ordered him to pipe down, "Naruto, don't get too excited!" before turning her challenging gaze on the other blonde. "And… Ino, don't you go wild with any ideas. I won't let you win!"

"As if I'll go easy on you!" Ino smiled in return, accepting the challenge with much eagerness. Her bright blue eyes glinted excitedly.

"Hey, guys!" Naruto shouted at the group of people surrounding them. "You're not gonna believe what Sakura-chan and Ino are about to do."

"NARUTO!" hollered Sakura, her fist clenched in anger.

But, it was too late, the damage was already done. After that loud announcement everybody would be curious to hear about their bet.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Naruto's loud mouth served its purpose. The good thing was that both girls didn't notice the number of people that watched them spar. If it was any different, then they wouldn't have been so completely immersed in it.

It was a full-blown brawl. They engaged in a taijutsu battle right from the start. The water was splashing beneath their feet, rising high enough to make their hair wet. They kept the battle above the surface the whole time.

Tenten's job was to referee the battle. She was so focused, that she barely sensed Neji's approach. He placed his hand gently on her lower back, surprising her.

"You startled me." She playfully hit him on his shoulder. "And, you're late."

"Whatever," he muttered disinterestedly, but then his eyes widened a tiny bit. "What's happening here, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Ino and Sakura challenged each other and I'm their judge," she explained simply, her eyes never leaving the two figures on top of the water.

All of a sudden, Lee screamed over the loud cheering of every other male shinobi that was present, "GO, SAKURA-SAN, MY YOUTHFUL FLOWER!"

The Hyuga shook his head at his teammate's antics, not even trying to comprehend what was going through his head. He turned toward his girlfriend and asked, "Is this for another one of their famous bets?"

"Yup," she chirped. In her opinion, these types of challenges were the best.

Neji nodded absently. "What did they bet on this time?"

"It's a loser-pays-the-price bet," she answered simply, her brows scrunching up in concentration as the girls plunged underwater.

"Tch, total waste of time," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Nevertheless, he was still interested in the battle.

After all, Sakura and Ino were well-known for never taking it easy when fighting against each other. That was one of the reasons their bets were so famous.

Ino was the first one to resurface and after making sure that she was safely standing on solid ground, she readied herself to use her clan's technique on Sakura. Her body slumped on the ground with a thud, while her rival was still trapped underwater.

A whole minute passed before Ino regained control of her own mind.

However, there were surprised gasps heard from all around, once Sakura broke the water surface. Her face was red with anger, as she held her hands pressed over her bare breasts.

Ino ignored her, as she walked on the water surface in search for something. Soon after, she held Sakura's bikini top in her outstretched hand in triumph. It was the object that brought her victory, so she felt that she had the right to tease Sakura with it.

It became obvious to everyone present that the battle was already over. Everyone could see that Ino used her Mind Transfer Jutsu to make sure that Sakura's hands were occupied, making her incapable of forming any hand signs or using her super strength.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Everybody was gathered around the two girls, who were still wet from their fight and panting from exhaustion. However, Sakura was the only one that held a towel around her body — out of sheer embarrassment. The spectators all wanted to finally hear the punishment given by the blonde, who was known to be very vicious when it came to these kinds of things.

"Sakura, I am sorry… but she did incapacitate you," Tenten spoke in a somewhat apologetic tone. She felt bad for having to proclaim Ino as the winner, after she pulled out that dirty trick. However, the rules were that anything was allowed, so she didn't have a choice.

"It's okay, Tenten," Sakura assured the girl that she definitely did not blame her for it. But, no one said that she couldn't take out her irritation on her best friend. After all, using her Shintenshin no Jutsu in such a way was a low blow in her opinion.

"It was a lucky shot, Ino-pig! Don't get your panties in a twist," she spat, while glaring heatedly at her.

"Oh, but, I'm not… it's just that I will enjoy the moment when you'll complete the punishment," Ino gloated openly, without feeling any remorse.

After hearing those words, Sakura's face scrunched up in frustration.

"Forehead, accept it… you just lost… so, now, you'll have to do as I say," Ino added in a nonchalant manner, acting as if Sakura was more than exaggerating.

"Fine! Let's just get this over with," Sakura finally gave in. She figured that it would be better to put the whole bet past her, so she could get on with her life.

"Are you really sure you want to hear it _now_?" Ino asked, faking consideration for her friend. It was quite obvious to everybody that she was enjoying herself a bit too much. However, no one knew that she was doing this for a reason.

"Better sooner than later," Sakura answered with much confidence. She was not willing to show weakness in front of the blonde and definitely _not_ scared of what was coming.

"That's fine with me," Ino spoke, her voice a bit too high for it to sound innocent. Her smile twisted mischievously. There was a whole plan developing in her mind and she was feeling quite smug for thinking of something so brilliant. She was positive that a certain Uchiha would be welcomed home with quite the surprise.

"Ino-pig… I'm waiting here!" Sakura raised her voice in a commanding way. She really hated it when Ino reveled in her victory.

"Alright, alright," the blonde spoke in a dismissive way. She then straightened her composure and laid out the bomb for all to hear, "Sakura, your punishment is to dirty dance in a bar of my choice on Friday night!"

"WHAT!" she shrieked, her green eyes bulging out in horror.

As for the guys, let's say that most of them were quite pleased to hear her punishment.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura should have known that once Ino suggested for them to have a bet that things would definitely go wrong.

She regretted for ever accepting the challenge. She never believed that Ino would be cruel enough to ask from her to pay the price of losing by doing something so incredibly embarrassing.

That is why she dragged the blond aside and attempted to reason with her.

"Ino, I can't possibly do that!" Sakura shrieked in utter horror. She decided that if Ino was in the mood for some public humiliation then that was her problem and she would not be dragged into it.

"Scared, forehead?" Ino asked, mockingly, expecting some form of reaction from the pink-haired kunoichi.

"You wish. I just can't... it would ruin my reputation," she stated simply, as if that statement was enough of a reason to impact the blonde's twisted logic.

'_She really is way too innocent for her own good,_' Ino thought dejectedly, deciding to play dirty. "What reputation, Sakura? The fact that you are still a virgin?"

Sakura's eyes rounded in mortification. She blushed out of sheer embarrassment, while looking around herself to see if someone heard the improper comment. She considered this to be her lucky day, because apparently no one was looking at them. Trying to master her best look of anger, she glared at the girl standing before her and whispered harshly, "Ino-pig, don't say stuff like that. People can _hear_ you."

Ino dismissed her words with a disinterested expression. "Whatever." She then wiggled her eyebrows in a mischievous way. "If I were you, I wouldn't have waited for that ice-cube to pop my cherry."

"Keep your voice down!" Sakura hissed, as she stared disbelievingly at her friend. "Besides, I'm not waiting for Sasuke-kun." She tried to cover her true feelings with that statement, but the way she said his name was proof of what lay in her heart.

Ever since he came back to the village she was tortured by his presence. His cold expressions, the distant look in his eyes — it was obvious that he just wanted to be alone. However, as time passed things started to change and he was no longer distancing himself from everyone. At first she felt elated, but everything came crumbling down to pieces once she realized that even if he changed he would never treat her the way she wanted him to. He rarely talked to her, for crying out loud.

Yet, despite his detachment, he lately started to act in a very peculiar way. His behavior was a definite sign that she was no longer being ignored by him. One the contrary, she could hardly dismiss his intense stare. Even at the moments she caught him staring, he did nothing to break the strange act and he was always looking at her with a strange look in his eyes that she was just not capable of understanding.

Ino caught the pensive, but sad look in Sakura's eyes. "Keep telling yourself that and one day you might believe it," she whispered, feeling sorry for her friend. After years of witnessing Sakura grow, she should have guessed that things would turn out this way. Sakura was way too emotionally fragile for her own good and it was all because of a certain cold bastard, who always treated her with inconsideration. The sad thing was that he would always be the one person that had the most influence over her emotions.

"Ino, I am completely over him," Sakura said, trying to fool even herself.

"One word, forehead... denial," Ino pointed out, hating the fact that Sakura was trying to lie to her own heart. "But, back to more important things," she skipped to the initial reason for their heated conversation. "Are you up for it or will you chicken out again?"

"Ino, if you really think that something as pesky as saying that I'm a chicken would change my mind, then you are seriously deluded." Sakura felt quite sure of her ability to resist anything thrown at her. However, she did not expect what followed next.

"Well, then... what if I told your dear Sasuke-kun of your little escapade at the midnight picnic party last year?" Ino asked with fake innocence.

"You wouldn't dare!" Sakura screeched in horror. She didn't want to remember that terrible incident, when in her drunken state of mind she yelled at the top of her lungs that she loved only Sasuke and that no one could even compare to him. At the time, she was thankful that Ino was the only one that witnessed it, but now she was not pleased at all.

"Try me!" Ino flashed a dangerous smile.

Sakura's anger burst free. "Bring it on! I accept your challenge!" she shouted. "You are going down, pig!"

Ino knew that at one point Sakura would yield. After all, she never backed down from a challenge set by her lifelong rival.

"We'll just see about that!" Ino smiled triumphantly. She congratulated herself for having such a brilliant mind. '_This just might work out as planned,_' she thought, as a fresh new feeling of hope enveloped her whole.

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading! :) I really hope you liked reading the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please, leave a review! It would mean a lot to me. :P


	2. Chapter 2: Hidden Feelings

**A/N:** I am sorry for the long wait! There is no excuse for my long absence. I can only say that I feel greatly apologetic toward you all. I hope you'll enjoy the chapter.

_I apologize in advance for any mistakes you might encounter in this chapter! This is the raw version of it, meaning it was not revised by a beta reader._

_..._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto!_

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

_**Claimed Innocence**_

_2__nd__ Chapter: Hidden Feelings_

The next few days were pure torture for Sakura. The word about her dance show was already spread out, so now she had to deal with the consequences. Half the village was undressing her with their looks as she walked down the streets. After witnessing such reaction, she didn't even want to imagine how she'd feel once up on that stage.

Even this particular morning ― as she walked toward the hospital ― turned into a complete nightmare for her. The way men acted made her want to vomit in her own mouth.

She even crossed paths with a very familiar pervert on her way to work.

"Pinky!" Genma yelled from afar and winked suggestively at her. "I'll see you on Friday!"

She avoided looking at him, but she didn't fail to notice that he had that cocky smile on his face that annoyed her so. She was really thankful when he proceeded to walk to wherever he was going and left her alone. But, maybe he was way too excited about her dancing half-naked, so he decided to leave the teasing for then. She already resented that thought.

From that moment on, she traveled atop the rooftops and did all that was in her power to avoid being seen. She also promised to herself to get revenge on Ino once this was over, because she somehow had to tame her rage and her best friend seemed like the perfect target for that.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Naruto was contemplating Sakura's situation as he tried to eat his bowl of ramen. But, the worry that was nagging at him made him lose his appetite. He had a feeling that this whole thing was going to turn into a complete disaster.

Recalling a certain incident that happened the previous day, an onslaught of anger enveloped him whole. He was so close to teaching those perverts a lesson, but Sakura stopped him before he had the chance.

He was very much aware what those looks meant and he didn't like it at all. If Sakura hadn't pleaded with him to control himself, he would've killed them all. She reasoned that it was not their fault and the best thing to do was to ignore them.

But, how could he ignore them after that conversation he had with Sasuke. He felt like his best friend counted on him to keep her safe, while he was out of the village.

It was then that he finally vowed to himself that he had to find a way to stop this nonsense. He was the one who was supposed to take care of Sakura ― he owed it to both Sakura and Sasuke ― so he was going to make sure to at least try.

He jumped out of the stool and flew out of the restaurant, forgetting all about his unfinished meal. The old man Teuchi was left gaping at the empty counter and half-full bowl. He wondered what could've possibly make Naruto of all people to want to leave his ramen behind.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Naruto ran atop rooftops at full speed until he finally reached his destination. He landed in front of the Yamanaka's flower shop. As he outstretched his arm to open the door, he seriously hoped to find Ino there. Relief washed over him once he spotted her behind the counter, surrounded by a huge number of flowers.

Ino looked up from the counter and upon seeing the obnoxious blond she spoke in welcome, "Hey, Naruto!" Despite that, she did not stop with her work on the flowers.

"Hey," he greeted back, but his voice lacked the usual vigor. The expression on his face appeared stern.

She took note of the unpleased look on his face, so she asked, "May I help you with something?"

"I came to talk," he specified, his scrunched up eyebrows indicating that he was being very serious.

She wondered what he could possibly want to talk about. '_Unless,_' she thought. '_He wants advice on how to ask Hinata out._' That thought made her giddy, but he cut any hope in half once he opened his mouth to speak.

"Are you seriously going to make Sakura dance at a bar because of your bet?" Naruto asked harshly, surprising her.

"Of course," she answered simply. She received no response, so she lifted her head to look at him and saw the angry look upon his face. "What? Don't give me that look, Naruto."

"Ino, do you have any idea what this will do to her reputation as a well renowned medic-nin?" he spat out angrily.

"Don't exaggerate, Naruto," she addressed him like he was being absolutely foolish. Seeing that he appeared unconvinced, she tried explaining, "Naruto, look… this can be proved as quite positive for Sakura. She finally might start to date someone."

"Date?" he shouted, his eyes bulging out. "Do you really think that by dancing in that bar she'll find someone worthy of _her_?" He was filled with rage just by thinking about the possibilities.

"Now that I think about it… that's a good argument you got there," she mused out loud, before giving him an appreciative look. "Naruto, you know, you're not as stupid as you look."

"I'll pretend that I didn't hear that," he muttered under his breath, glaring at her. Then, he asked hopefully, "So, you think that you can maybe forget all about your rivalry this time and let her out of it?" A naive smile brightened his face.

Ino appeared horror struck by his suggestion. "Oh, no, that's out of the question!" she shot out with finality.

His eyes rounded like saucers, before he slammed his fist on the counter. "What!?" he shouted in rage. Once he sobered up, he stuttered in disbelief, "But… but, you just agreed with me that it's a stupid idea."

"No, I never said that it was a stupid idea," she corrected nonchalantly. After a short pause, she stated with self-assurance, "Besides, this entire thing has a stronger and very significant purpose. Trust me!"

He could not believe what he just heard, so he chuckled. "What can possibly be positive about this?" he asked sarcastically.

She did not spare him a look, as she worked on arranging a bouquet of white lilies and roses. "Oh, you'll see," she said with assurance. "You'll be the first to congratulate me on a job well done once this is over."

The look of obvious fulfillment on her face surprised him greatly. After a short moment of silence, he finally disagreed, "I highly doubt that!"

"Whatever," she dismissed his comment as unimportant. Then, she seriously looked at him and said with a firm resolve, "All I'm asking here is for you to have a little more patience."

Her words did not persuade him, because he had a bad feeling ever since he heard the punishment. "I really don't know, Ino. It seems to me that this will only bring some trouble for Sakura," he said, sounding unsure.

"Naruto, just trust me, will ya!" She tried to convince him by flashing him with an encouraging smile.

He huffed in defeat, readying himself to accept her promise. "Okay, but if something _bad_ happens, I'll hold you responsible," he warned her with a stern look in his bright blue eyes. He really hoped that she won't do anything stupid.

"Don't worry! I have everything under control," she reassured him, the smile on her face as bright as before.

Naruto hesitated for a short moment, before finally deciding to let everything in her hands. He was highly suspicious that she was up to something, but he was also very aware that there was no chance of convincing her otherwise. So, he turned to leave without saying another word.

But, once he was at the door, he realized that he forgot about his best friend. As he recalled the last conversation he had with Sasuke before he left on his mission, heavy dread struck him from within.

'_What in the world will I tell the teme when he gets back?_' he thought dejectedly, as he exited the flower shop.

He was only certain of one thing. He definitely wasn't looking forward to seeing him on Friday morning.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura woke up to the chirping of birds. She yawned sleepily, as she stretched out her muscles from beneath the warm covers. Cracking open an eye to look at the clock on her nightstand she was surprised to see that she woke a bit later than usual. However, with her incessant worrying until late hours, it was somehow expected.

The unfortunate event was already giving her a headache, and there was still some time ahead of her until it actually happened.

'_Today is _the_ day, Sakura,_' she tried to focus her mind on encouraging thoughts. '_You better don't freak out!_'

She started breathing in and out slowly, in hopes that it might help her control her nerves. But, ten minutes later, she realized that it didn't work. Her eyes snapped open once she remembered that she was supposed to go out with Ino in order to buy 'suitable' clothes for the show.

'_How in the world am I going to do this?_' she asked herself, already starting to freak out.

Adrenaline surged through her as she thought of all the negative outcomes, and there were tons to be expected ― she already deducted that there was nothing positive about it. She swore to herself that this was officially going to be the worst day of her life.

She removed the covers, but did not lift herself up from the comfortable mattress. '_Why can't I just stay in bed and pretend that this is all just a really bad dream?_' she thought miserably.

But, she had to do it ― or Ino would never let her forget it by constantly reminding her that she was a sour loser.

And, in the end, she wasn't supposed to blame anyone, because she got in this mess all by herself.

After a few long minutes, she finally willed herself to get up and instantly headed for the shower in hopes to calm her nerves. The warm water did soothe her, but only for a short while ― until she stepped out of it.

After she was completely dried out, she put some clothes on, but in the process she was reminded of the fact that she was supposed to flash her assets in front of strangers. She felt bile rise to her throat from disgust.

She instantly headed for the kitchen and filled herself a glass of cold water. Then, she leaned on the counter and took a sip.

From there she could see the picture of Team Seven that lay on a small table in the vast hallway. Seeing the face of Sasuke, she was reminded that he was to return from his mission in just a few hours. If only he was to come back a day later than planned, so he could miss the dance show.

'_With my luck he's going to see the entire thing,_' she thought in defeat.

That notion made her feel nervous. The glass she held in her hand slipped out of her fingers and smashed on the tiled floor.

"Damn it!" she cursed irritably and bent down to pick the broken shards. She could not believe that her life would be shattered like this piece of glass, and all just because of one stupid bet.

"Yo," she heard a familiar voice calling from behind her.

She swirled around, her hand pressed tightly over her chest. "Kakashi-sensei, you startled me," she said, her breathing quicker than normal. She scolded herself for letting her guard down ― and, for leaving that window open.

"Take it easy, Sakura," he joked. "It's just me."

"Oh, so you think this is funny, huh?" she replied with derision. She ignored his lifted eyebrow, and asked instead, "So, why are you here anyway?" Then, she proceeded to pick the shards up from the floor in a thick towel. Once she finished, she dropped them in the garbage can.

"I heard you lost another bet against Ino," he started, his voice as cool as always. But, the look in his one visible eye seemed displeased. If she hadn't known him so well, she would have been fooled.

"Oh, no! Not you, too," she spoke, sounding disappointed for some reason.

He narrowed his eye at her. "What? Is it just a rumor?" he asked, taken aback by her reaction. He sure hoped that it was a rumor.

"No, it's real, but I don't like the pace at which this is spreading out," she admitted, her face betraying her emotions. She seemed disappointed with herself.

"Well, Sakura, you should know that news travel fast, especially when it's of this kind," he explained simply, not wanting to sound like he was lecturing her.

"I just really hate it, that's all!" she exclaimed. Then, she asked, "Would you like some tea?" A small smile lifted her rosy lips, but still she did not look happy at all.

"Sure," he accepted and sat on one of the chairs round the small kitchen table.

He watched her imploringly as she worked on preparing his cup of tea. Noticing that forlorn look she carried on her face, he felt bad for her.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," he tried reassuring her with simple words. "Everything will work out."

She placed the cup of steaming tea in front of him. "I don't think that this _will_, Kaka-sensei," she whispered softly in defeat and exited the kitchen.

Kakashi was left alone, with his warm drink on the table. He signed dismally as he stared at the empty doorway. If only he could do something to cheer her up. But, really, there was nothing he could possibly do.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sasuke was getting close to the village's gates, his mission teammates following behind him. It was his first time being assigned a mission without Naruto and Sakura. He wasn't very fond of that fact, but at least they weren't assigned a boring task.

Nevertheless, he was glad that after a whole week, he was finally returning to Konoha.

As he approached the gates, he recalled the promise made by his teammates. They said that they would be welcoming him back if he returned at the appointed time. And, since he did, he expected to see them both waiting for him at the gates.

He did not wear his ANBU mask, ― it wasn't one of those missions that required it ― so it was not a problem for them to recognize him.

"TEME!" Naruto hollered from the distance, bringing his attention to him.

Sasuke dismissed his behavior as nothing more than his usual obnoxiousness. However, as he looked at his friend and where he stood, he realized something. Naruto was waiting for him, _alone_.

He walked toward his friend, while the others just scattered in different directions, something he was thankful for.

"Hey, welcome back!" Naruto barked, and went for a hug.

Sasuke lifted his hand to stop him, at which Naruto frowned. "Why are you alone?" he instantly asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Wha- Oh, you mean why Sakura-chan is not here?" the blond asked dumbly.

"Hn," the Uchiha grunted as a response.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "She is… just busy, that's all," he answered with a shaky voice.

Sasuke looked at him suspiciously, so the blond tried to change the subject before he started questioning. "So, are we going to celebrate the success of your first ANBU mission?"

"Aa," Sasuke mumbled lowly and started walking. He wasn't in the mood for ramen with Naruto, but he was sure that his best friend was hiding something from him. He just had to find a way to make him talk.

During their walk, Sasuke couldn't help but overhear some strange conversations going on around the village. His suspicions were confirmed, but it was not what he expected.

"That pink-haired doctor is actually very beautiful!" he heard a deep male voice from somewhere behind him.

He was positive that the _idiot_ was talking about Sakura, which wasn't something that appealed to him. That is why he gave into temptation and turned to look at the man that spoke and saw him conversing with another guy, both of them dressed in Jounin vests.

"She sure is! I can't believe that we'll see her dirty dance in a bar tonight!" the other exclaimed, after which both men laughed heartily.

Sasuke clenched his fists, carried away by boiling fury. There were a couple more similar conversations that reached his ear, but once he and Naruto reached the familiar red bridge, he decided to question him.

"Dobe… what is the meaning of this?" Sasuke asked with an intimidating tremor to his tone, a deadly glare set in his eyes.

Thankfully, the area was deserted, so no one could hear them.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, as he avoided Sasuke's glare. "Um… nothing," he tried to say, his smile stretching out nervously. He also heard the conversations, but his hope that Sasuke didn't already died out.

"Don't play innocent with me, Naruto. You must know all about it," Sasuke spoke, clear warning written in his black eyes.

"I'm not playing innocent!" the blond defended. "It's just something that she has to do. It's not that big of a deal." His attempt to mellow the situation was not convincing even to him, so he was aware that it definitely did not work with Sasuke.

"Why haven't you stopped it?" the dark-haired boy growled lowly.

"Don't you think I've tried that already?" Naruto countered back.

Sasuke glared at him fiercely, emitting an unpleasant aura with that look alone.

Naruto became so nervous that he started talking without really paying attention as to the meaning of his words. "She told me not to meddle in her decision and that it was already decided."

The Uchiha shouted angrily, "What?" Pure disbelief was written on his face. He then looked at the ground, feeling sick to his stomach.

"She said that this has a much bigger purpose and that we should be patient," Naruto explained further, his voice betraying his uneasiness. He thought that it would be better not to mention the bet, so he purposely avoided saying that these were Ino's words, not Sakura's.

He failed to notice that hiding the truth about the bet was the biggest mistake of all.

"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed loudly. He felt completely betrayed by her. '_Why is she doing this?_' he thought resentfully.

Naruto was wondering if there was more to Sasuke's feelings than what he told him before, so he inquired, "Besides, why are you so against it? I know that you like her, but…" He intentionally left that thought to hang in the air.

Sasuke looked at him, surprised. He opened his mouth to say something in his defense, but he was left with nothing.

"Teme, I'm your best friend. You can't really hide anything from me." He lifted an eyebrow in a knowing manner.

Sasuke averted his eyes away from Naruto's imploring ones. The blush that crept up his neck was not helping him either.

But, the usually oblivious Naruto was not so clueless this time. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, making a stunned face. "Teme, you're actually _in love_ with Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke's head snapped up. "Could you keep your voice down?" he hissed through his teeth. Once he realized that he still didn't negate it, he spat out harshly, "And, no, I'm not!" He realized it not so long ago, so it was still difficult even for him to accept it as true.

Naruto chuckled amusingly. "You can't lie to me, teme. It's written all over your face."

"Don't you dare tell her, dobe," he warned, knowing there was no escape now, a fierce glare forming in his dark eyes.

A moment of silence ensued, where Naruto just stared at him with a stunned expression. "Oh… man… you really have a problem," he finally said, as he scratched his head. He felt really sorry for his friend.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, still avoiding his eyes. He leaned over one of the bridge railings.

"But, teme… why haven't you told her that you love her?" Naruto suddenly asked, his voice filled with hope. He thought that if he did, then she would certainly accept to be with him.

However, Sasuke did not share his opinion. He was silently staring at his reflection in the water, but once he decided to answer, he spoke in an inaudible whisper, "It's not that easy, Naruto."

The blond stared at him with a sorrowful expression. "Let's forget about it all," he said lightheartedly. "A hot bowl of ramen is always a good remedy, right?" he offered, hoping to take his mind off of things with the suggestion.

"Aa." Sasuke's simple answer was more mechanical than sincere.

Once seeing that his friend's eyes were empty and unfocused, Naruto realized that all was in vain.

They both headed toward Ichiraku's, their walk filled with nothing but silence.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sai joined their party sometime during their meal, but he was greatly surprised by the lack of conversation going on between the two. He was mostly surprised because he thought that this was supposed to be a more of a joyous event. After all, Sasuke was officially an ANBU.

In the meantime, during his silent musings, Naruto was worriedly glancing in Sasuke's direction.

Yet, Sasuke did not feel any better, but he was definitely trying to think of a way to approach Sakura before she made a fool out of herself. He was thankful for the silence he had, at least until Sai decided to break it.

"Naruto…" he began. "Where's Ugly?" he asked, being aware that she was supposed to be here as well, just like every other time.

"She said that she had some work to do," the blond answered distractedly, his eyes still trained on Sasuke.

"She's at the hospital?" the clueless boy implored further, sounding surprised for some reason.

Naruto finally turned to look at him, a strange look in his eyes. "Where else would she be?" he rhetorically asked, his tone a bit annoyed. He really hoped that Sai would drop the subject for Sasuke's sake.

"But, I thought that since she's not here that she was at least getting ready for tonight," Sai said, his tone confused.

"Sai!" Naruto warned, as he made a gesture with his eyes, trying to point out to Sai that he better not speak of _that_ while Sasuke was present.

"Did I say something wrong?" Sai asked, not understanding what Naruto was trying to show him.

"The teme doesn't like to talk about it, so you better keep your comments to yourself," he tried to whisper, but it was futile. Sasuke heard every word and glared at them both.

"But, I don't get it… what is wrong with the emo-prick?"

Naruto could not believe how clueless Sai sometimes was. He thought that after those two warnings he gave him that he would finally shut his mouth. He even tried changing the subject.

"When did you start calling him a prick?" Naruto inquired, trying to sound as casual as possible, but in reality he was panicking on the inside.

"Oh… when I realized that it sums up the fact that he's a worthless asshole who has no regard whatsoever for the feelings of others," he replied nonchalantly with no emotion on his face.

Sasuke glared, but was otherwise not affected, while Naruto looked at him as if he was crazy.

A long moment of silence followed. Sai was still trying to understand what was wrong with the Uchiha. With time he became better in deciphering the emotions of others ― of course, Sakura was a great deal of help in that aspect.

After some time, he shot up as if he had just discovered a new jutsu. "Oh, I get it… he's in love with her," he exclaimed loudly, something that was not usual for him. After he noticed the questioning look on the blonde's face ― which he actually recognized ― he started explaining, "I once read in a book―"

Sasuke could not take it anymore, so he snapped at Sai, "You are such a moron!" And, then he slid his fingers along the handle of his Kusanagi, readying himself for a fight. He really just wanted to take out his anger on someone and the idiot that was his personal replacement in Team Seven was a good candidate.

"Do you want to spar with me?" Sai asked, as he curiously eyed Sasuke's weapon.

"I want to kill you, moron," he seethed in rage.

Teuchi was shocked beyond words, so he was only capable of gaping at them in silence.

"Sai, what did I say about keeping your mouth shut?" Naruto roared and stood in between his teammates, attempting to prevent them from fighting each other.

"Is that what this is about?" Sai asked, trying to pull off a knowing expression on his face, in which he actually succeeded.

"Naruto! Get out of my way," Sasuke warned from behind his friend, emitting a menacing growl.

Naruto stilled, feeling uneasy. He could already sense the raw anger coming from his best friend and he knew that it meant something unpleasant was going through his head. He turned slowly and looked at him with a pointed look. "Teme, don't get mad at him. He's just clueless," he tried to reason with him, aware of the fact that he could pummel Sai in just a few seconds if he wanted to. "Besides, it's not like she'll take her clothes off or something," he added, but instantly regretted it.

Those words took Sasuke by surprise, but most of all they pierced him like a sharp knife. His eyes turned red in an instant.

"Sorry, Sasuke! I didn't realize what I was saying," Naruto spoke apologetically, hoping that Sasuke would cool off.

However, the only response he received was complete silence from Sasuke, as he turned his back on him. He was already furious and these two idiots were making him feel even worse than before. After taking a few calming breaths, he decided to leave and release his anger on something else. A rough training session was always a good remedy for his rage.

"Teme, wait up… don't go!" Naruto called after him, already feeling sorry for saying such inadequate words.

"Just leave me alone, Naruto!" Sasuke seethed though his teeth as a final warning, and flashed out of sight in an instant.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura was trying to concentrate on her work, but the bag that lay on the small sofa in her office kept distracting her. She could not believe that Ino would buy such a dreadful outfit for her dance show. It had lace, for crying out loud.

If that was not enough of a torture for her, Ino made sure to write her a note with a set of 'well' chosen words.

_**Good luck, Forehead! Tonight is **_**your**_** night.**_

She instantaneously scrunched the small card and threw it in the trashcan, but that did not help her forget about it. That of course happened a whole hour ago, and her mind was still occupied with the same thoughts.

'_What will she gain from this, anyway?_' she asked herself, as she threw the pen out of anger and it ricocheted off the door. It would have hit her over the head, but she was well-trained to dodge. '_Well, besides the fact that she'll laugh her ass off on my account._' She nervously kept tapping her foot against the floor, while glaring at the bare wall.

To her, it seemed as if her so called best friend wanted to ruin her.

On top of that, she felt awful for not keeping the promise she made to Sasuke. She really wanted to welcome him back, but she was afraid of his reaction. How could she dare look him in the eyes and tell him that she was to dirty dance in a bar full of people ― all because of a stupid bet.

She was very much aware that if she walked down the streets ― with him by her side ― he would've noticed the way people were looking at her. And, the mere thought of Sasuke asking her questions about it, frightened her.

Besides, she could not imagine having enough strength to tell him the truth. He would certainly tell her that she was being stupid. Furthermore, she would die of mortification if he ever saw her dance in a revealing outfit.

As that upsetting thought flew through her mind, she heard a knock at the door. She lifted her head only to find one of the nurses peaking uncertainly through the gap.

"Hanaka, please, come in," she encouraged the young girl. Once she was inside, she continued, "What is it?"

"Haruno-san, your teammate wants to see you," she informed her weakly.

"Naruto?" she asked, confused.

"No… um… the other one," the girl stuttered uneasily, looking at the ground. Then, she whispered, "He appears to be hurt."

Sakura gaped at her, wondering why she seemed so nervous all of a sudden. She didn't have to think for much longer to realize that Sasuke must have frightened her. It wouldn't be a first, since he practically scared all the girls that worked here ― all on the account of looking him the wrong way, or better said a bit more alluringly than necessary.

"Which room?" she asked, already getting out of her chair.

"He's in room 315," the girl answered in a small voice.

"Thank you, Hanaka! You may leave," she dismissed her, and proceeded to exit.

As she walked toward the room he was in, she felt worried about his injuries. She hoped that he was not badly hurt. But, she also wanted to reprimand him for scarring the young nurse.

However, upon entering the room, she instantly forgot about ever thinking of scolding him.

The imploring look in his dark eyes was directed at her, but she barely noticed that. She was merely focused on the state he was in.

"What did you do, Sasuke?" she shrieked, staring at his battered form. He was covered in small cuts and bruises, his clothes torn at places.

"Hn," he grunted, and kept looking at her. His injuries were the excuse he was looking for to come and see her. He simply wanted to observe her and see how she would react to his visit.

"Was it the mission?" she asked, her tone seemingly upset.

He remained silent, which only worried her more.

Willing to focus on her work, she said, "Okay, take off your shirt and lay down. I have to examine you first."

She gave him a moment of privacy by turning around and lifting the board where she was supposed to write down her notes.

Once she turned around, he was already stretched out on the patient's bed. She started examining him, while trying to suppress the nervousness she felt.

Not a minute passed, before she found her distraction. "You broke your ribs," she told him, sounding astonished. "How did that happen?" she asked.

"I trained by myself," he muttered disinterestedly. He was rather distracted during his rough training session, so he didn't even notice what exactly happened, let alone the pain in his side.

"But, I thought this happened during your mission?" She scrunched up her eyebrows, out of confusion and irritation.

He shrugged. "The mission was easy."

"What in the world were you thinking doing this to yourself after just returning from a mission?" she yelled at him, feeling very frustrated.

He hadn't done anything of the sort for months, where he exerted himself completely. It worried her. She hoped that he wasn't going back to his old self, where he isolated himself from everybody.

"It's none of your business!" he spat out harshly. He really hated it when she pretended to care for him. She constantly did that, ever since his return.

The severity of his words did not affect her, for she was mostly worried for him. Stepping closer, she told him, "You should not stress out yourself like this," offering a sincere advice.

"Don't pretend like you care, Sakura," he bit out with a harsh undertone. He then avoided looking at her on purpose, because he felt so angry at her. She still said nothing about her decision, which infuriated him more. If he continued staring at her, he would've said something much worse.

"I do care for you, Sasuke," she confessed softly, her eyes focused on his face. But, his face was still averted. A sharp pain twisted her insides, as she thought, '_If only you could see how much._'

"Hn," he grunted lowly, before he lifted his head. Her words took him by surprise. No matter how much it pleased him to hear that she cared, he wanted something more from her.

It broke Sakura's heart to see that sad look in his eyes. She sharply looked away, not being able to stand it for much longer.

"Why weren't you at the gate with the dobe?" he asked suddenly, unable to suppress his curiosity.

"What?" she asked distractedly still preoccupied with the same unpleasant thoughts. Once she found her focus, she whispered softly, "Oh, you mean this morning… I am really sorry, Sasuke. I was really busy." She lied.

He felt bad for always making her apologize to him, but the fact that she was lying to him in the face was paining him even more. "Hn," he grunted lowly, trying to subdue the ache in his chest.

Seeing the scowl on his face, she asked uncertainly, "Are you mad?"

"As if," he scoffed, averting his eyes. He desperately wanted to be gentler with her, but he could never accomplish it ― especially now, when he was incessantly mad at her for lying to him.

"Well, you seem a bit angry at me," she said, while he seemed to be pointedly ignoring her by looking out the window.

His silence urged her to try and apologize again, "I really _am_ sorry, Sasuke-kun," hoping that her words would mellow him down.

'_So, _now_ it's Sasuke_-kun?' he thought bitterly. "Fine, just stop apologizing. It's annoying!" He couldn't have said it more gently. It just wasn't in his nature.

She felt offended by his words. She felt like he held her heart in his hands and tore it into pieces without feeling any remorse. The strong emotions took control of her actions, so she added a bit more pressure to his wound.

He hissed though his teeth because of the strong pain he felt in his side.

She snapped out of it upon hearing his pained reaction and instantly took her hands away.

"What is wrong with you, Sakura?" Sasuke spat, more harshly than he intended. His question was not directed at her mistake, but evoked by her strange behavior.

"No-nothing…" she stuttered nervously. The glare in his eyes was a bit too much for her to handle at that moment.

"You're way too distracted," he spoke, trying to sound less harsh. "What are you even thinking?" He really wanted to know to answer to that.

"It's nothing," she said, her voice barely audible, purposely avoiding his fierce stare. How could she even begin to say that she was hurting because of him, because of his constant rejection?

He tightly gripped her wrist, unable to control his own anger. "You're lying to me, Sakura!" He wanted to hear her answer to another question that circled in his mind. '_Why are you doing this, Sakura?_' But, he did not dare ask. He couldn't understand why she made such a decision. Dancing in a bar full of men was not something he expected of her.

"Ow… you're hurting me, Sasuke!" she cried out.

Her yell brought him down a notch, so he looked at her with sorrow filled eyes. His anger was gone, being replaced by a feeling of worthlessness. He felt unworthy of her. The only thing he was capable of doing to her was make her cry.

As those thoughts floated through his mind, he released her hand as if she burned him and stumbled a few steps away from her.

Sakura looked at him with a sad expression on her face. She recognized that strange look in his eyes, the one she could never decipher. If only he could love her back and stop looking at her with that confusing stare.

He turned his eyes away from her, as if it pained him to look at her and left the room in haste.

Sakura stared at the wide open door and the empty hallway. Her mind was vacant of thoughts, but her heart was speeding inside her chest. Seeing this side of Sasuke was a first and she didn't like it at all. To her it seemed as if he was extremely angry at her for some reason, but she couldn't think of anything that could possibly make him _this_ angry.

Worst of all, she felt awful for letting him leave with his wound partially healed. At that moment, she realized that he carried a much bigger wound in his heart that was neglected for a very long time.

The only thing she could possibly do about it was cry silently in solitude, because it was impossible to reach his heart.

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading! :) I really hope you liked this chapter and that I didn't disappoint with Sasuke's reaction. Please, leave a review!


	3. Chapter 3: Jealousy

**A/N:** THANK YOU to those of you who left me reviews and those who put this story on their lists of favourites and alerts! I love you all incessantly! :) Keep it up and I'll reward you with another fast update.

_I apologize in advance for any mistakes you might encounter in this chapter! This is the raw version of it, meaning it was not revised by a beta reader._

_…_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't own Naruto!_

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

_**Claimed Innocence**_

_3__rd__ Chapter: Jealousy_

Sakura hesitantly exited the dressing room wrapped in a silky red robe, her facial expression severely aggravated. She felt exposed like never before in her life, so she already dreaded getting up on that stage. It was bound for her to be humiliated when shaking her half naked ass in front of so many strangers.

Fury was spreading through her like a wild fire. She was clenching her fist painfully, mindful that the action will not ease any of the anger she felt. She was mostly mad at herself for allowing something like this to happen, but she also blamed Ino. Her inability to control her own emotions might have overpowered her, but maybe the reason she shouted at her friend the second she exited the room was because she blamed her for everything.

"Ino, I really can't do this!" she screeched and tried to give her best glare once she stood in front of the blonde. She certainly hoped that this will work and that she wouldn't have to do this.

"Yes, you can. It's no big deal and you already accepted the challenge," Ino said in a simple way, not planning on giving Sakura an escape route, mindful that this was really necessary.

Sakura felt like this was the time to surrender, so she looked at the blonde with a severely pleading look in her eyes, as she begged in desperation, "Please, Ino. Is there any chance you will let me out of this one?"

"Don't be so nervous, Sakura. You'll be great," Ino reassured her, thinking that nervousness was the reason why Sakura begged to be relived of her obligation to complete the punishment for losing the bet.

"I'm not worried about that. I 'm worried about what people might think of me, once I do this," Sakura spoke desolately.

"Don't worry, you'll just have to dazzle them all. You never know _who_ might be watching." Ino's eyebrows lifted in a suggestive manner, but her voice held such mischievousness that served to make the other girl shudder in disgust. Sakura sincerely hoped that those words were not meant to remind her of all the perverts that would be surely watching the show.

However, Ino had a completely different set of thoughts at the moment, because she expected a certain someone to be among the guests she invited to come. She just hoped that her plan would work and that he would react in the way she desired him to.

"Ino, this is not some stupid joke. It's actually quite serious. How many times do I have to repeat that my reputation is put to question?" The look in her eyes spoke of the grave dread that overpowered her entirely. She barely held onto her rationality, because at the moment her mind was consumed by much more drastic thoughts. It was hard for her to accept this entire charade, because she already knew that it would ruin her.

"Forehead, I am really sorry, but you lost the bet and you already agreed to the rules," Ino said, waving her hand dismissively as if not caring one bit of how this affected her friend.

Witnessing the nonchalant action evoked destructive thoughts to whirl through Sakura's mind. She seriously wanted to just snap Ino's wrist and make her regret every word that left her lips. However, she decided against such a drastic measure, mostly because she really had to admit to herself that those words were nothing but the truth.

"Okay, fine, but I will make you pay for this, Ino-pig!" Sakura threatened her, all the while promising to herself that she will make the girl suffer for making her do this.

Recalling the incident that led her to this dreadful event, she started to regret for ever accepting Ino's challenge. She should have known better when the terms were set and refuse the offer right then and there. She actually chose to play tough and now she sort of deserved to be punished for being so unforgivably stupid.

Trusting Ino was a mistake she promised she would never repeat again.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Almost all of Konoha's twelve, plus Sai, were gathered in front of the night club where Sakura's private dance show was supposed to happen. Except that Ino was a bit late, a fact that aggravated most of them.

The one who was evidently in a really foul mood ― out of the whole lot ― was Sasuke Uchiha.

His best friend was the only one who knew the truth behind his feelings and the only one who was very much aware that Sasuke was not taking it well. The fact that he had to drag his stubborn ass all the way from his apartment was speaking tons of what was going through his head.

As for the rest of them and how they perceived his broody disposition ― it was pretty much normal for the Uchiha.

Except for maybe Kakashi, who was always aware of everything concerning his three precious students. He was standing beside Genma a little ways behind, but once he spotted two very familiar faces he approached them.

"Yo," he greeted, but was instantly brought down by the unpleased expression on Sasuke's face. He looked at Naruto, his one visible eyebrow lifted in question.

The blond just shrugged in answer, not wanting to speak about it without Sasuke's permission. Still, Kakashi needed no explanation, for his fast mind already gave him an answer.

That's why he leaned in, his masked face hovering above Sasuke's ear. "Remember what I'm about to tell you," he whispered. "Great power always comes as a reward to those who know how to use it wisely."

Sasuke looked at him as if he was crazy, but in the next second the silver-haired men was already gone from his side. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and irritation at the nonsense he just heard.

Naruto, not having heard anything, put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, mainly for reassurance, but also as a means of support. "Don't be nervous, Sasuke."

"I'm not nervous," the dark-haired boy snapped, his eyes narrowed significantly.

"I know you, Sasuke. You don't have to pretend," Naruto said, flashing him with a knowing look.

"I'm annoyed. There's a difference." He felt like he was on edge with his own thoughts. Naruto's constant chattering was of no help either.

Yet, even after a few minutes of a positively welcomed silence, there was a new source of annoyance that grated his nerves.

"Dobe! Stop fidgeting," he seethed trough his teeth in warning, a glare forming in his dark eyes.

Naruto paid little attention to Sasuke's wishes, because at that moment he was preoccupied with a different sort of irritation. He barked, "I can't. I'm this close―" and used his fingers to visually show his friend how thin a line he meant, before continuing, "―from punching the lights out of the guy over there."

Sasuke followed Naruto's gaze and in an instant his glare deepened. Among the vast crowd of people stood a guy, who he recognized as one of Sakura's fanboys ― the one he hated the most. He clenched his fists as an onslaught of jealousy pierced him like a knife.

Naruto, in search for a distraction, began examining the entrance of the night club with slight curiosity. As his eyes scanned the flashy sign, he murmured under his breath, "Ino sure knows how to pick these places."

His words served as both, an interruption of thought and a source of information that opened up a feeling of suspicion within Sasuke.

'_So, _Ino_ was the one that picked this place?_' he thought bitterly.

He looked at Naruto from the corner of his eyes, thinking of what could the blond possibly be hiding from him. He was sure that Ino was a part of it, whatever that was. It didn't take him long to suddenly realize that there was more behind this dance show than Naruto initially told him. The wheels turning in his head brought him to a new probability ― that Sakura was not the one who initiated it. However, he still had to wait until Ino's arrival in order to find out the whole truth.

During his silent musings, Tenten agreed with Naruto's obvious displeasure, "Yeah, this place is dreadful," scrunching her nose as she eyed the entrance warily. She hated clubs in general, but this particular one had nothing that corresponded with her very particular taste.

Neji, who was standing right beside her, was obviously aggravated by just being here. If it wasn't for Tenten and her persistence, he wouldn't have bothered coming.

Shikamaru's motive for coming was somewhere along those lines as well. If he didn't find Ino so attractive for some reason he might have stayed home to sleep. He just didn't want to leave her alone, when he obviously knew that she might get drunk ― or worse, flirt with some random guy. If he was being honest with himself he would have accepted the fact that he was being extremely jealous… long time ago.

"I, for a fact, know that this is Genma's favorite place," Tenten continued the conversation, but she really had no idea why she suddenly had the urge to shell out such unimportant piece of information.

"How come you know that, Tenten?" Lee finally spoke, his tone slightly curious.

"Well, he was on my team on my last mission, which was a total nightmare. He tirelessly bragged about going here," the brown-haired girl answered, sounding a bit disgusted, while trying to erase the memory of Genma's graphic descriptions.

Hinata, while listening to what was said, could only stare with aversion at the huge crowd of people waiting to enter the club. The sight she witnessed made her realize that there were so many men that were actually willing to watch Sakura's dance. At that moment she was not even capable of imagining what they were expecting to see. She was repulsed by the sheer idea of it.

"Hey! You're all here," Ino shouted excitedly from behind, surprising them all.

The blonde girl sized up the group inquisitively, her eyes in search for someone in particular. Once she saw Sasuke standing a bit to the side looking beyond irritated, she thought to herself, '_Who would've thought?_ _He's really here._' A satisfied smile parted her lips.

"Hey, Ino," Chouji was the first to address his teammate, while she just smiled at him in greeting.

"So, you finally _decided_ to show up," Naruto bit out, unable to control himself. Then, he angrily asked her, "Do you have any idea how long we waited for you?"

"Naruto, stop being such a pain in the ass," Ino shot back indignantly. "Besides, you should already know that the queen always arrives last," she added, feeling quite smug.

"You… a queen? Ha!" Naruto mocked out loud, not giving a damn if she would be offended or not. However, he did manage to make her infuriated, obvious by the deadly look in her eyes.

She was ready for a fierce comeback, but she reminded herself that there were more important matters that needed her immediate attention.

"Whatever," she said, dismissing him with her hand.

She smiled wickedly, as she eyed the Uchiha for a second time that night. Afterward, she walked forward and pushed past the entrance in a sort of invitation for the others to follow.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

In the meantime, Sakura was furiously pacing back and forth in the dressing room, trying to think of something that might save her from the terrible predicament. The floor boards were trembling under her feet and the irritating sound reminded her that she was really at one of those awful places visited by filthy men. Minutes were separating her from the dreadful fate that was awaiting her and she was barely coping with the reality of it. '_It is all Ino's fault!_' she thought, seething in rage.

As she willed her brain to work through all of the possible escape routes, a small object caught her attention. Her reaction was instantaneous and she already reached to examine it. Her face lit up the second a new idea popped to her mind and she already started processing the probability of it. She definitely thought of it as the only way she would satisfy Ino, but she was also aware that it might help her maintain her flawless reputation.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

The group of friends was seated round the tables Ino reserved especially for them. She even made sure to pay some extra money to get the ones that were closer to the stage. And, the best thing ― according to her ― was that Sakura knew nothing of her plans. There was definitely no measurement for her wickedness that was particularly pronounced during situations as this one.

With every passing second Sasuke was becoming more and more suspicious about this whole thing. In his opinion, there was something that was not quite right with Ino's over-triumphant expression.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of music echoing from the speakers.

Sasuke felt his blood boil once he heard the encouraging uproar of the crowd. His Sharingan activated against his will, but it sure gave him an idea.

With Kakashi's words to the front of his mind, '_Great power always comes as a reward to those who know how to use it wisely,_' he thought of something that would solve at least one of his problems.

His _jealousy_.

He smirked, finally understanding the hidden message in Kakashi's advice.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura felt ready. She was especially eager to get on that stage because she knew that seeing Ino's face ― once she saw her improved make-up ― would be priceless.

She knew that the start of the music was her cue, so she breathed out nervously and got ready. Despite her previous eagerness, she could not help but feel slightly uneasy. She turned her back toward the scene, clenched her fists and waited for the music to start playing.

The dark curtain fell, and in that instant she knew that she was being stared at by everybody because of the bright lights that hit her back. As she looked at her own shadow, the music blasted in her ears.

She started moving in rhythm with the upbeat tune, trying her best to be as natural as possible. She slowly lifted her arms in the air and started to glide her hand over the other, moving it toward her half-bare back. She spun her feet in place, while slightly bending her knees, intentionally rotating her hips in a sensual way.

The strange thing was there was no reaction. But, maybe that was even worse than hearing shouts and whistles. With that thought in mind she felt bile rise in her throat.

Her attempt to ignore her own thoughts was futile, so she just decided to keep going. She encouraged herself by imagining Ino's shocked face. She felt positively satisfied because of her own cleverness.

She took a deep breath and in a flash turned toward the audience. The high heels she wore shined under the flashes of light as she moved along the scene. Once she was closer to the edge she kept moving in rhythm with the music.

She felt naked in the tight corset and skimpy panties. The fact that she managed to convince Ino that black would be so much better than red made her feel slightly better. She was also very thankful for the song that helped ease her anxiety. If it weren't for the music playing, she wouldn't have any sort of distraction to continue with the show.

The light that was putting her on the spotlight prevented her to be able to distinguish the faces of the people that watched her dance. At that moment, she just told herself that it might have been better for her to not see their faces or reactions, because it was bound for her to bolt the scene in case she witnessed something disgusting. Especially if there were many perverts there that would most probably drool upon seeing naked skin.

Those thoughts encouraged her to be more creative and bold, because she felt like she was completely alone with no one watching. She really did not care about anything besides making Ino want to bang her own head against the table. It was quite possible that the blonde would be fuming after witnessing her enthusiasm. However, Sakura hoped that she will take it as a counter attack for her challenge.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Everybody stared at her, their eyes following every move she made. It was exactly as if they were all in the same dreamlike state, where not one of the spectators moved or said anything.

In reality, only her friends seemed like they were aware of what was really happening. They were surprised to see a girl whose identity was perfectly hidden. At first glance none of them could be entirely sure if the girl was really Sakura.

Her hair color was covered with silver paint and pulled back in a tight bun, while half of her face was covered with a mask made out of lace. There was nothing that could possibly uncover her identity.

"Alright, this is awesome!" Kiba shouted, his face displaying his enthusiasm.

"Kiba-kun, please..." Hinata begged in a barely audible voice.

The dark-haired boy barely heard her over the loud music. He turned to look at her and asked, "What's the problem, Hinata?"

"Well, you shouldn't be so enthusiastic. She's our friend," she explained, her entire posture displaying her unease because of the situation.

Kiba chuckled in a friendly manner. "Don't worry, Hinata. I can't help it, and you can always just ignore me," he answered, but his eyes were trained on the girl on the stage. He was sure that it was not Sakura, so he encouraged his own reasoning that there was nothing wrong in his enthusiasm.

Naruto knew the reason for her distress, so he put a hand on Hinata's shoulder, which was his attempt to reassure her that there was nothing to be worried about. "Hinata-chan, it's okay. This girl is obviously not Sakura-chan. She is smart enough to think of an escape that would fool everybody."

She smiled fondly in return, trying to think of this as a normal dance show where the girl was an artist and not her close friend.

"Then, who is she?" Lee asked, staring curiously at the dancer. There was a tinge of pink on his cheeks, which was an obvious proof that he was affected by the show.

Ino was, of course, very much aware that this was Sakura's way of escaping the embarrassment, but she chose to say nothing.

'_Damn it! She fooled me,_' she cursed to herself, her eyebrows narrowed in slight anger. However, not a moment later she smiled wickedly. '_It doesn't matter! There is nothing that will stop me now._' Then, she glanced in the direction of the dark-eyed Uchiha.

Sasuke was practically fuming, but as the girl came closer and flashed her bare legs in front of him he was torn between a mixture of feelings.

"It's Sakura," he spoke in almost a whisper, heavy disbelief twisting his features.

At first, he felt as if entirely enveloped by burning flames. Her barely covered body was working as some sort of inspiration unbeknown to him. He was imagining things that were beyond his usual imagination. He wasn't even aware that he was capable of thinking such thoughts, nor that his feelings for Sakura ran so deep as to make him feel like he could surrender his whole heart to her. At that moment, he wanted to belong only to her and for her to belong only to _him_.

It was then that the rational part of his brain was activated and he realized something. He felt an onslaught of jealousy. He wondered if she really enjoyed this, if she really did this to seek attention from other men. With those questions circling in his mind, he felt his blood boil to a degree where it brought a strong feeling of anger to the front of his mind.

It was rare for someone to witness any sort of expression on the Uchiha's face outside of the battleground, but it happened and he was not even aware of it.

This is exactly what Ino was waiting to happen, but seeing it actually unfold in front of her own eyes was definitely not something she expected. After all, Sasuke's reputation of being an emotionless bastard preceded even him and it was hard to believe that her plan actually worked. She managed to provoke him to finally react to something that did not involve training, missions or feigning ignorance.

"Well, Sasuke-kun... how did you recognize her? It's obvious that no one else did," she teasingly addressed him, unable to hold in the sudden excitement.

He just grunted in response and thought, '_I would recognize those legs anywhere._'

However, after recalling the reason for the immeasurable feeling of anger that consumed him, he swiftly turned to glare at Ino.

"Did you put her up to this?" he growled menacingly, his glare so deadly that it was thoroughly astonishing how Ino dismissed it as something unworthy of her attention. It was possible that she knew him so well that she found him absolutely unthreatening.

"What are you suggesting, Sasuke?" she spoke, a bit of her own anger threatening to spill over her fake display of calmness. She had to try and control her own emotions, because if not she might just snap and yell at him for being the worst jackass in the history of the universe. In her eyes, it was really unbelievable how long a time one person was capable of living in absolute denial, because that is exactly what Sasuke was doing. The worst thing was that he was hurting Sakura in the process, in the worst possible way.

"She's way too innocent to do something like this. You must have made her do it." By the way he addressed her it was clear that he accused her severely of the entire situation. It was hard for him to imagine Sakura being the one that would do this for pure enjoyment. He was positive that it was her friend that had the major role in this charade, whatever that was.

"Well, let me clear something up... Do you see her dancing there or are you blind? Have you considered the fact that she might be enjoying herself? If she was as innocent as you think her to be, she would have never got on that stage, especially not dressed like that," she finished talking, already feeling bad for making Sakura look like something she truly was not.

It was hard for her to trash Sakura's name in front of the man she loved, but apparently it was necessary. The way she saw it, the both of them were a lost cause when it came to the feelings they had for each other.

The Uchiha was worse if compared to the pink-haired girl. Sakura had a reason for denying her own heart the only pleasure that would possibly mend the pieces of her heart-break. Sasuke, on the other hand, with his obvious emotional constipation was like a dead person with no semblance for even a hint of romance.

Ino really had no other choice than to interfere and take matters in her own hands. After all, she was quite aware of the fact that anger will always be the only emotion that will trigger Sasuke's actions.

His mind registered her words, but he was definitely not pleased to hear them. He held his drink in a painfully tight grip. His fury was so pronounced that the glass shattered in pieces. It was quite clear that he was extremely angry, but it was really strange that he did not care about covering it up by playing cool. Not a moment later, he stormed out of the club, refusing to watch the rest of the show.

Naruto witnessed the entire exchange, but he decided to silently observe and say nothing. However, once he witnessed Sasuke's extreme reaction, he couldn't help but lean towards Ino. "Is this your way of playing a matchmaker?" he asked her, his eyes glinting in accusation. He was entirely unpleased by the cruelty of her plans.

Ino already guessed the reason for his openly displayed resentment. Still, the only thing she cared about at that moment was the fact that her plan worked perfectly.

Her answer to Naruto's question was quite simple, but filled with meaning. She flashed him with a wickedly wide grin, a gesture he understood well, but did not accept.

Despite seeing her confidence, he was afraid that it might have the opposite effect of what she initially planned.

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading, my lovely readers! :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm in a great mood these days, so please leave me a review so that I will keep up this pace and update more frequently.


	4. Chapter 4: His Anger, Her Tears

**A/N:** Thank you for the amazing reviews! Your words bring a smile to my face. :) And, thank you for showing support by adding my story to you lists of favourites and alerts! I love you all tremendously!

_This is the unrevised version of the chapter, so forgive me if you stumble upon some mistakes._

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_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto._

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_**Claimed Innocence**_

_4__th__ Chapter: His Anger, Her Tears_

Sasuke was at the training grounds, wishing to forget about Sakura and her shameful display from earlier. Still, he felt exactly as if his own mind betrayed him in the worst possible way, because images of her dancing ― half-naked in that horrible place ― kept flashing in his head.

He was beyond angry. At first, he just wanted to go home, but his anger was pulling at his nerves so he decided to release some steam.

He could feel his blood boil as he clenched his fists and hit the post with too much force. The pain he felt on his knuckles was exhilarating in comparison to what he felt inside his chest. The whole idea of Sakura's innocence being claimed by someone else ripped his heart to pieces.

He thought that he had a special place in her heart; that he was the only one she considered as possible candidate for claiming her preciously saved innocence. The fact that it turned out to be exactly the opposite made him feel an excruciating ache. He was aware that he was acting like a selfish bastard. But, deep down he could not find a reason to not be selfish about _her_.

Now, things were different. He felt like she betrayed him. All those smiles she always had just for him seemed fake to him. Her act made him believe that he no longer knew who she was. With it she proved to him that she was no longer that innocent girl he thought he knew so well.

The memories that flashed in his mind were bitter. He desperately wanted them out of his head, but it was pointless to try and erase them.

**::Flashback::**

Sakura slumped on the ground, her breath leaving her in heavy puffs. "I'm done for today," she spoke in a tired voice, her chest heaving up and down from tiredness. "I'm beat."

Sasuke watched her for a short moment, but not wanting to be caught staring he pulled his eyes away from her.

"Hn," he grunted as a response, and followed her lead as he set on the grass, unusually close to her. That day he felt particularly pulled in by her presence. He felt utterly grateful for the spar they just had, because it made him forget about all those painful thoughts that tortured his mind.

"I told you that I will kick your ass," she broke the silence, her breathing evidently returning to normal.

"Tch… don't flatter yourself, Sakura," he arrogantly spoke, completely dismissing her bragging tone.

Sakura turned her head to stare at him. Her eyes were rounded in shock, but not a moment later she realized that she shouldn't be even surprised. His ego was so big that it was impossible for her to downgrade it with her words – or fists, just as she did minutes ago.

She couldn't help herself, so she shot back mockingly, "Don't be a sour loser, Sasuke."

"I'm not," he spoke simply, sounding so sure of his own words. "I just don't want you to fill your head with false assumptions."

She playfully poked at his ribs just to prove her point. His reaction was instantaneous as he winced in pain. "I rest my case," she spoke with finality to her voice.

"Hn," he grunted, while glaring at her for _brutally_ poking him just to prove her point. She could be quite annoying sometimes.

She propped herself on her elbows and looked down at him.

"Want me to heal that?" she asked softly, something that expressed her worry without being her attention.

Her voice evoked a pleasant feeling in his chest. He couldn't help but smirk in response. He gave her his consent by nodding slightly, his eyes trained on her. As she worked on his ribs, he kept staring at her. She looked so focused on her work, a fact that made him realize that being a medic suited her tremendously. A tinge of pink dusted her cheeks, making him aware that she felt his eyes on her. However, he could not will himself to turn his gaze away. She looked so beautiful batted in the sunlight, with the sheen of sweat glistening on her skin.

**::End of Flashback::**

That was definitely a good memory for Sasuke, at least that's what he thought this morning. He did not feel that pleasant anymore, because it evoked a sour taste in his mouth.

In a desperate attempt to forget about Sakura, he gathered chakra to his palm and summoned the powerful Chidori.

As he literally pulverized the tree trunk, he felt like his attempts were entirely pointless. Nothing was helping. With no other idea on his mind, he jumped on a tree and headed himself in the direction of her apartment. He needed to speak with her. He was painfully aware that if he didn't do it soon he would lose his mind completely.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura entered her apartment, the feeling of weariness taking over her. The only thing she wanted right now was to reach her bed and sleep until late in the morning. As she walked in the living room, she sensed the presence of someone else. She was on alert in an instant, ready to defend herself. The adrenaline erased all feeling of sleepiness she had.

She was surprised to see Sasuke standing there, bathed in darkness.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

He was right in front of her in an instant, towering over her like a predator. "What the hell were you thinking, Sakura?" he seethed through his teeth, a heavy glare forming in his eyes.

"Wha-" she started, but caught herself upon seeing the bruises on his knuckles. In an instant, she forgot about him yelling at her. "Are you hurt?" she asked with a worried tone. She took his hand in her palm, in attempt to inspect his injury. She only had a chance to glimpse at the ripped skin and tiny splinters of wood imbedded in it, before he harshly took his hand away.

"It doesn't matter!" he hollered angrily. The look in his eyes was severe. "Answer my question! What the hell were you thinking?"

She could hardly believe that this was happening. She felt so small because of his relentless stare. It was almost as if he was accusing her of something, a fact that added to her confusion. She opened her mouth, unable to stop her curiosity, and asked in a soft tone, "Why are you yelling at me, Sasuke?"

His upper lip twitched for a short second, but then he screamed at her, "Did you really enjoy yourself?" He felt lost, as if he no longer had control over his own actions. Usually he was so composed and he desperately tried to calm down, but it was futile. He hated the feeling of wild anger that consumed him from within.

"I don't know what―" she started, but he cut her off.

He took her wrist in his hand and squeezed it painfully. "Don't play innocent in front of me, Sakura. You disgust me!" he shouted, anguish filling his tone.

Her eyes turned fearful, as she tried to take her hand away from his tight grasp. "That hurts, Sasuke!" she raised her voice, pleading him to stop. However, his fingers tightened and she tried to ease the situation by speaking with a softer tone, "Please, I really have no idea what you're saying." Tears gathered in her eyes.

He noticed nothing, for he was solely focused on his own feelings. He grabbed the bag that hang from her shoulder and angrily took out the contents. His lips twisted in anger, once his eyes soaked in the dreadful items he held in his hand. Images of her shameful exhibition flashed in his mind, which only served to make his blood boil. He shoved them in her face, while growling lowly, "Look at this, Sakura! I am talking about your shameless display from earlier!"

Realization downed on her in an instant. With her own worries about the show she completely forgot that he might be among the crowd of people that watched her dance.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by the feeling of shame.

"Sasuke-kun, it's... it's not what you think," she tried explaining, but he never let her finish.

"It's hard to imagine that scene as anything that can be justified as innocent. Were you really that satisfied with yourself when in front of those men―" he cut off his own words, feeling unable to finish his thought. He could not look at her any longer, so he averted his eyes and stared at the ground. He clenched his fists in utter attempt to suppress the fury he felt.

His behavior surprised her tremendously. She realized that this was the first time she witnessed him being so out of control. "Why are you acting like this? It's not like you care," she spoke in a weak voice.

"I thought you were different, but apparently I was wrong!" he yelled, the feeling of abandonment consuming him whole.

"What do you mean?" she asked, while staring at him with teary eyes. She did not know why she felt like crying, but looking at him treating her in such a way brought the feeling out on the surface.

"I mean that you clearly became a whore. How many men have you invited to your bed so far?" he asked, completely unaware of his own accusing words or how hurtful they sounded to her.

Her eyes glistened from the ache that clenched her heart. "Sasuke-kun, you honestly can't mean―" she barely found her voice to speak those words.

"Oh, but I do! I have never been more disgusted by anything in my entire life!" Once those words left his mouth, he instantly regretted them. As they flashed in his mind, he repeated to himself that it was not his intention to say such cruel things. He wanted to say something else, but he was left with nothing.

The tears that threatened to leave her eyes made them glisten painfully, but then anger overwhelmed the feeling of hurt. She couldn't contain herself, so she slapped him such force that it seemed like all the anger she felt was released in an instant.

"I hate you! I really hate you, Sasuke Uchiha! I don't want to ever see your face again!" she screamed, pure pain written on her face.

The slap must have brought some sense to the forefront of his mind, for he was no longer consumed by anger. Instead, all he felt was regret.

"Sakura..." he desperately uttered her name, the apology hanging on his tongue.

"Get out, just leave me alone." She stomped toward her room, but just before she threw the door closed she screamed hysterically, "GET OUT!"

Sasuke immediately followed after her and walked into her room with no intention of giving up on her until she accepted his apology. He really didn't care about manners at the time. Once he was inside he found her bedroom empty. The only light in the room came from under the bathroom door and he guessed that she must have locked herself there. He closed the distance and stood in front of the door, the light illuminating only his feet. He twisted the door handle, but the door didn't budge. A heavy breath left him, as he decided to try and talk to her.

"Sakura," he called after her, while at the same time his ears picked up her soft cries.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed through her tears.

"Sakura, I didn't mean it that way," he tried to speak softly, hoping that she will hear the regret in his voice.

"Yeah, well, I don't believe you," she replied after some time, her voice filled with sobs.

"Sakura, just stop crying and open this door or―" he threatened, but her livid voice cut him off.

"Or what? You'll do what?" she asked angrily.

"I'll break it down if necessary," he stated firmly.

"Would you please just leave me alone? I don't want to see you anymore," she spoke in a weak voice, heavy surrender latched to her words. The pain that surrounded her heart made her think of the only thing she never thought that she would say about Sasuke. '_...or hear you talk to me ever again._'

Hearing her say that was enough to make him realize how big of a mistake he did by surrendering his will to nothing but anger.

"Okay, I'll leave, but I'll come back," he promised. The strange thing was that he didn't even try to cover the anguish in his voice.

"I don't want you to come back, ever again." As those words left her lips in a barely audible whisper, her heart broke in pieces.

He reluctantly left the apartment, but he decided to stay close. His watchful eyes stayed focused on the window of her room. He left his Sharingan on and followed her every step as she moved out of the bathroom. Even if he was unable to stay by her side, he felt better just by watching her from afar. When he was sure that she finally fell asleep, he jumped away from the tree he was perched on and climbed in through her bedroom window.

Once inside he stood silently in one place, just watching her sleep. He hovered over her, his eyes sad. He noticed the dried tears on her reddened cheeks and blamed himself for causing her pain. He knew that his harsh words were the reason why she cried herself to sleep. His heart ached for her, but he also felt like it was too late. There was no turning back from what he did.

He leaned in and reached out to gently caress her cheek. He let his finger ghost over her skin, as he tucked a strand of her pink hair away from her eyes. He stayed like that for a short moment, but then he just decided to let her sleep.

He left a small piece of paper with simple, but meaningful words written on its white surface and left silently.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading, my lovely readers! I hope you liked the chapter, despite the fact that it was filled with angst. However, I like to think of it as the storm before the calm, if you get what I mean. :P Please, share your thoughts with me. Your reviews make me really happy and urge me to write faster.


	5. Chapter 5: Confessions

**A/N: **Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The number of reviews I received for the pervious chapter surprised me pleasantly. :) You really are amazing!

_This chapter was not revised by a beta reader. Please, forgive me for any mistakes you might encounter!_

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_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto!_

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_**Claimed Innocence**_

_5__th__ Chapter: Confessions_

Sakura woke up only to find herself surrounded by the darkness of the night. She realized that it was still too early for the sun to even touch the sky above the village. Even if she slept for more than four hours, she still felt worn out. However, her exhaustion was born from her broken heart and not by a physical cause.

The happenings from before came crashing down on her in an instant and the shadows that lingered in the room added to the emptiness she felt.

The small piece of paper that lay on the nightstand beside her bed was the only thing that glowed under the moonlight passing through the thin curtains. It looked almost inviting, as some small piece of hope laying in wait for her to reach out and take it.

She was sure that it was Sasuke the one that left it there and that fact is what made her feel nervous. It was like she lost the valor to face him or hear him speak. The most obvious thing to her at that moment was that she was afraid to even read the words he wrote for her.

Mustering enough courage to face whatever he wrote to her, she finally snatched the note. Her hands shook in anticipation as she began to unfold the white sheet, while heavy dread filled her from the inside.

_Sakura, I am sorry!_

His apology evoked a strong emotion to resurface. Few teardrops slid down her cheeks and stained the white paper. The dark ink was smudged and his words were lost among the stains made by her tears.

She curled up under the blankets in hope that she will forget about her misery, but what she truly wanted to forget about was _him_.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Not knowing what to do with all the restlessness he felt, Sasuke decided to try to release his anger through some serious training. However, he was unable to do so because of lack of concentration. His thoughts betrayed him. He couldn't keep himself focused enough to even punch something until it was broken. He was constantly thinking about Sakura and how he must have hurt her with his more than harsh words.

He was angry at himself, for not being able to control his rage and jealousy. He hated his own guts for never doing the right thing when it came to Sakura and for always hurting her. She did not deserve that, he knew that well.

In the middle of his incessant pacing on the training field, an insane idea struck him. However, he did not consider it to be crazy ― not even in the least. He actually thought that it was exactly what he should have done right after leaving Sakura's apartment.

That is exactly how he found himself headed in the direction of the apartment owned by her best friend, the one he considered to be at fault for this whole mess. He did not care that it was in the middle of the night, because what he desperately needed at that moment were some _answers_.

He wasn't even trying to suppress his anger, so once in front of the door of her apartment he banged on it a bit too forcefully. He was not willing to wait until morning to ask his questions and he really did not care if he woke anyone up with all the noise he was making.

There was no response for a while and he was seriously getting irritated. However, he did not have to wait that long, because after his second rap on the door he heard a small thump that came from inside of the apartment. Encouraged by it and feeling rather annoyed for having to wait so long, he banged on the wooden surface for a third time.

"I'm coming!" He heard Ino's irritated yell from the other side and in an instant relief washed over him. He doubted that he was ever this impatient to talk to the blonde.

The door was yanked open rather forcefully, but that was nothing in comparison to Ino's expression. She was practically fuming on the inside, obviously angry for being brought out of her sleep in such a rude way. However, once she recognized Sasuke, surprise took away all the anger she felt.

She blinked a couple of times, before finally opening her mouth to ask, "Sasuke, what in the world do you think you're doing here?"

"I want to know the truth!" he seethed through his teeth, the glare in his eyes entirely directed at her.

By the look in his eyes and the words he just said, Ino already guessed his reason for coming at her apartment at such hours. But, she was not willing to let him go easy, because she believed that he deserved to suffer for making Sakura wait this long, so she feigned ignorance.

"What are you even talking about?" she nonchalantly asked, while purposefully ignoring him by yawning sleepily as if she was bored out of her mind and ready to get back to bed.

Sasuke was not pleased by her response, so he just moved past her and invited himself in. He was not willing to let her close the door in his face, so he made sure that she won't try to evade this.

In the next instant she turned to yell at him with fire raging in her eyes, "Hey, you can't just barge into my apartment like this!"

He glared fiercely in return. "I really don't give a damn about your stupid house rules," he spat out. With no intention of ever backing down, he skipped right to the point. "Tell me what happened with Sakura. How did she end up dancing in that club?"

Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She could practically see Sasuke taking out his fury on Sakura and the image enraged her fully. She should have guessed that he would not cope well with his jealousy and that he would do something awful. Now, she was convinced that he was the biggest asshole that ever existed.

"What did you do, you stupid asshole?" she screamed at him, unable to suppress her anger. "You were supposed to be all over her!"

At first, Ino did not realize that she just spoke of the one thing she meant to keep a secret, but as she saw the slight widening of his eyes, she did. As she internally scolded herself for losing control of her own mouth, he was already glaring at her.

"What did you just say?" he practically growled the words.

"Whoops," she squeaked nervously. She was really mad at herself at that moment, because no one was supposed to find out that she planned everything just so she would get the two of them together. And, now, because of her big mouth, Sasuke knew that she was the one that played the role of a matchmaker.

"So, you were behind this!" he shouted angrily, his glare turning deadly. He was beyond irritated for snapping at Sakura for nothing. Now, that he knew that she did not dance in front of those men for her own enjoyment, but because of her friend's little game, he was infuriated.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say it like that," she tried to cover up her slip, but it was all in vain, because the cat was already out of the bag. She had nowhere to hide, so she was left with only one option… to openly tell him everything.

"Then, what would you say?" he asked sarcastically, narrowing his eyes in resentment toward her attempt to find an excuse. In his eyes there was no justification for what she did. She shouldn't have messed with Sakura's innocence.

"I would say that you are one hell of a bastard for waiting this long to express your feelings for her, so I had to take matters into my own hands," she honestly admitted. She felt elated that she finally could say it all to his face. The insults that raked through her mind were not even close to what she said out loud, but at least she was satisfied that she could say that much. Not liking his glare, she asked boldly, "You can't say that it didn't work?"

"Hn," he grunted, because he was definitely not planning to openly admit that she was right. There was some truth in her words, he could acknowledge that much. He was, after all, more aware of his feelings for Sakura after what happened. However, he did not agree with her meddling, so he openly admonished, "You shouldn't have interfered."

"Shouldn't have interfered, huh? You are definitely the dumbest person alive. Not even Naruto compares to you and your stupidity!" she bellowed heatedly, her hands perched on her hips in a pose that was meant to prove a point.

"As if," he strongly disagreed.

"Were you planning on confessing to Sakura anytime soon?" she asked, but she was not really expecting an answer. And, she was right… he just stood there in silence, while he lowered his head slightly. That small gesture gave her the answer she needed, so she emboldened herself when she spoke knowingly, "So, I guessed right! You are not only dumb… you are a coward as well."

"What do you know?" he spat out, feeling irritated because of her know-it-all attitude. He could not believe that she gave herself the right to meddle in his life and even imply to his feelings and assess his actions.

"Well, I know that you always stare at her with the same look in your eyes," she spoke as if pointing out the obvious.

He was silently looking at her for a while, trying to really soak in her words. Finally, he asked surprisingly, "What look?" without really knowing what she was even talking about. He was sure that he did not look at Sakura differently and he definitely did not stare at her.

Ino laughed at his cluelessness, surprising him even further. Suddenly, she felt sorry for him, because he was clearly in denial, so she tried to clear it up for him. "The look that speaks loud and clear that you're in love with Sakura," she spoke through her laugh.

"Hn," he grunted weakly, not knowing how to respond to that. He knew that he was in love with Sakura, but he did not know that he made it that obvious. First with Naruto and then even the clueless Saia assumed the same. Now, Ino had to join in. Suddenly, he felt nervous because of what Sakura knew about his feelings.

Recognizing the look in his eyes as sheer panic, Ino was tempted to smile at his social awkwardness. But, she really felt sorry for him, especially since it was not his fault that he was emotionally constipated and that all of this was new to him. That is why she decided to simply reassure him, hoping that maybe if he was freed from his nervousness he would confess much more easily.

"Don't worry. She's as clueless as you are," she spoke nonchalantly, waving her hand in a gesture that displayed her certainty.

Sasuke was shocked to say the least. He was really taken aback by her words, because she addressed him as if she knew what he was thinking. Suddenly, he berated himself for letting his emotions slip out on the open for everyone to see, not even considering the possibility that Ino was a person with special talents when it came to romance and everything in relation to that.

Seeing that he was already out of words, she moved to usher him out. "I think that now it's the time for you to leave and let me have my beauty sleep," she said, wanting to be done with him and hopefully resume her night's rest. However, once he was out the door she remembered that she never gave him the answer he came to hear.

"Oh, and for the record… Sakura did not want to get on that stage," she hollered after him, her words making him freeze on the spot. "It was all because of a bet," she finished, a sly smile grazing her lips. She felt utterly triumphant at that moment, so she closed the door behind him and went back to sleep with certain amount of satisfaction growing through her.

Outside her apartment, Sasuke was still standing still. He was lost in his own thoughts for a short moment, as he tried to soak in everything that happened.

'_I should have known,_' he thought bitterly, before taking the first step toward the fulfillment of his new goal. This time, he decided to stop being a coward and to finally open his heart to Sakura.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sakura was barely aware of the fact that she stayed in bed for almost the entire day. She felt dead to the world outside.

It was during the late hours of the night that she could no longer deny herself the necessity for food. She was also in a desperate need of a shower, so she willed herself to get out of bed and forget about the comfort it offered. She felt more than glad that those activities did not require her exiting the apartment.

The shower elated her somewhat. The food satisfied her hunger. But, there was nothing that could ease the pain in her chest.

In the end, she did not want to get back to bed, because that would mean that she would be left with nothing but the bad memories circling through her mind. That's why she stayed in the living room, perched on the windowsill with a hot cup of tea in her hands.

She felt safe there with the silence of the night keeping her company. But, the feeling didn't last long.

Her safety was breached once she heard a knock at the front door. Her footsteps were hesitant, but once she reached the door fear overwhelmed her.

'_What if it's him?_' she asked herself, before another loud knock startled her from her thoughts. The noise ringed in her ears, but most of all it cleared her mind and encouraged her.

She refused to succumb to the torturous feelings brought by the fear of having to talk to him. So, she opened the door with firm resolve.

It was him.

"Sasuke-kun..." she whispered timidly.

She couldn't bear looking him in the eyes. Images of him yelling at her flashed in her mind. His accusations were still a fresh memory, one that destroyed all determination within her.

Seeing her downcast eyes was like getting pierced by a burning blade. He wanted… no, he needed her attention. "Sakura..." he spoke gently, eager to make her look at him. "I… I came to… to apologize."

"It's okay. I already read your note," she spoke barely above a whisper.

Her quietness made him feel like she was distancing herself from him right when he needed her the most. Fear urged him to approach her. He was now standing before her, both of them unmoving. She appeared lost and hurt, which only served to further ignite his fear.

He lifted her chin, granting his own wish. "You still haven't forgiven me?" he asked, but she stayed silent, keeping her eyes away from him, looking almost guilty.

Nevertheless, her mind was working a mile. She was taken aback by the gentleness he showed her. His closed and distanced disposition practically defined him, but this was different and she couldn't erase the feelings of surprise.

He tried a more gentle approach. "I can see it in your eyes, Sakura. I really hurt you, didn't I?"

She bit her lip in order to suppress the onslaught of tears. Showing weakness in front of him was the last thing she wanted.

But, Sasuke understood everything. He was finally able to read her thoughts. The ironic thing was that he did it just by paying a little more attention to her expressions. If he knew this before, he might have acted on his feelings sooner.

"Sakura, I never meant to hurt you… and those words I said... I didn't mean it that way." His tone was apologetic.

Sakura noted the honesty in his words, the sincerity in his deep voice. However, she was not yet convinced. She still knew of what was truly going in his head and most importantly what was truly in his heart.

_He did not love her._

That's why she chose to be as much closed off as him.

"I understand. I really do," she lied. At that moment she only wanted him out of there.

"If I'm being honest to myself, I will admit that I was driven by my anger," he finally spoke words that came from inside his heart.

Hearing him speak of his own feelings stirred something within her, so she looked up. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at him.

"Anger? I don't understand," she asked in surprise, her voice almost a whisper.

A strong blush crept up his neck, making him feel even more nervous than he actually was.

She took notice of his timidity once the blush reached his cheeks. A small smile grazed her rosy lips out of sheer affection for him.

After witnessing the small reaction his shyness evoked, he felt a strong resolve wash over him. "I thought that you'll wait for me," he said, his facial expression showing strong determination.

His words confused her. She stared at him for a long moment, unmoving. "But, I waited for you, Sasuke-kun," she finally spoke, her tone betraying her bewilderment.

"I'm not talking about my coming back to Konoha," he specified, his eyes moving suggestively.

Sakura was still clueless as to what he was talking about. "Then, what are you talking about?" she asked.

He blushed fiercely, before gathering enough courage to speak what exactly was on his mind. "I thought that you will save yourself for me," he said, barely above a whisper.

Still, she heard him well. "What...?" she began, but caught herself. Once she realized what he was talking about, she was only capable of staring at him with an equally strong blush on her cheeks.

"I thought that your love was pure and only for me and I selfishly believed it to be the truth," he continued, feeling encouraged for some reason. He could feel his blood boiling, but this feeling was entirely different than what he experienced before. "I was never this possessive until I realized my feelings for you."

She was beyond shocked. Was this really Sasuke standing before her, she asked herself. Encouraged by that thought, she unconsciously reached to touch his face. The touch only made her realize that it was really him standing before her, that this was really happening, but most importantly that his words were real.

"Sasuke-kun, are you saying that... you have feelings for me?" she asked, sounding a bit unsure. Despite that, the newfound hope made her feel weightless, as if floating on air.

His heart was speeding inside his chest. "I always claimed your innocence as mine, even as an unconscious thought," he confessed, all shyness thrown out of the window.

She could't keep the smile off of her face. "Well, you can have it, Sasuke-kun..." she said, blushing. "...because, it always belonged to you."

He did not expect to hear those words, but he more than welcomed them.

With a satisfied smirk on his lips, he gently put his hand on her waist, bringing her body close to his. "Sakura…" he began, the look in his eyes shining with sincerity. "…I love you."

Sakura was about to faint from happiness. "I always loved you, Sasuke-kun," she confessed softly in return. A smile brightened her expression. "I still do."

That is all he needed to hear, before becoming a slave to his own feelings.

He pushed her toward the wall, and stood very close to her, while trapping her in between his strong arms. He leaned over her in an almost possessive way, his gaze steady and penetrating.

Sakura felt like he was looking right through her soul.

His eyes roamed over her face and for a fleeting second his attention focused on her lips, before their eyes met in a passionate exchange. Her green eyes shined in a way that fascinated him, so he leaned in, bringing his lips closer to hers.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered his name so gently that he barely heard it, but it was enough to cloud his mind.

Her breath caressed his lips in a gentle way, but when his lips brushed hers, he felt a tingling sensation wash over him. He could not take it anymore, so he firmly pressed his lips over her soft ones.

Their first kiss was gentle, filled with love and devotion. There was even slight hesitation, which soon was overthrown by the feelings of sheer affection. His hand caressed her cheek lovingly, as he gained control of their lip lock. His tongue slid over her bottom lip, boldly asking for permission to taste her fully. Granting his wish, she lifted her hands to his neck, bringing her own body closer to his.

During the short moment their lips separated he gasped for air, her scent overwhelming his senses. It mesmerized him how even one look from her green eyes was enough to make him feel utterly complete.

"I've waited so long for this," he whispered in desperation.

She smiled softly, something he willingly accepted as an open invitation from her.

He leaned in for a second kiss, their exchange reaching new levels of pleasure. They were both lost in each other's embrace, feeling only what the other was feeling. He slid his fingers under her shirt and gently caressed the skin on her back. His touch made her shiver in delight. Then, he swiftly moved his hands downward and gripped her ass.

She gasped in surprise, in the process breaking their contact. She could feel pure ecstasy, almost as if the hold he had on her burned her through the thin silk material of her panties.

"More," she whispered more to herself than to him, before bringing his face closer for another kiss.

"It's not enough," she murmured against his lips, her breath softly brushing them.

Driven by her boldness, he intensified the kiss.

Her eyes were clouded and she felt fire built up inside of her. She was unable to stop herself from sharing her thoughts with him, "It'll never be enough."

"Hn," he grunted in agreement and smirked at her. It was exactly as if she read his thoughts. He already knew that it will never be enough, because he was more than just driven to her. He was entirely addicted to her.

His next move made her gasp in surprise. He swiftly lifted her of the ground and moved toward her bedroom. She was very fast to catch onto his intention.

As he set her on the bed, fire rose at the pit of her stomach at the mere thought of Sasuke making love to her.

They shared more kisses, in the process taking off of each other's clothes. Surprisingly, his movements were not fast, but gentle. It seemed as if he was taking his time with undressing her, almost like he was enjoying himself. With every touch he felt like he was unraveling her most intimate secrets.

As he moved back, he kept his eyes closed, allowing himself a short moment of enjoyment where her scent clouded his mind. "Sakura..." he uttered her name in a soft whisper, his voice deep with passionate desire, before finally opening his eyes to look at her. If the wonderful cherry aroma she exuded wasn't enough, the sight of her mesmerized him.

He brushed a strand of her pink hair aside just to be able to fully look at her lovely face. Then, he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "You're beautiful …and, you're mine."

He gently slid his fingers along her neck, all the while lightly moving the silky pink locks out of his way. As he slowly lowered his head to lay soft kisses along the exposed skin of her neck, he entwined his fingers with hers.

The reaction he received in return was instantaneous. She arched her back, exposing more of her neckline for him. His tender kisses and the strong grip he had on her hand evoked explosive feelings from the inside of her soul. The deep longing he felt was present in every little caress he executed over her body.

She rewarded him with soft moans that rang in his ears like a soft melody.

But, suddenly he stopped and stared at her with an intent gaze.

"Sakura… are you sure you want this?" he asked hesitantly.

Having the chance to pay closer attention to his expression, she saw something in those black eyes of his. These were hints of longing, but most of all he looked at her as if expecting something from her.

"Just as you claimed my innocence a long time ago, I vowed to give it to only you," she said, smiling gently at him.

Her words were enough to make him understand that she wanted this as much as he wanted it.

He kissed her fiercely and with one swift movement took her virginity away. At first all she felt was a sharp pain, but once he showered her with tender kisses the feeling changed into one of pleasure.

The way his hands glided over her skin was as gentle as a whisper in the night. She felt as if he literally touched her heart with his gentle lovemaking.

They moved like one. Whenever he moved, she moved as well, meeting him halfway. Their hearts beat like one, making them connect in more ways than one. Lost in a world of passion and desire they found their release, reaching a moment of pure bliss.

At that exact moment they both realized that even if lots of tears and anguish led them to this moment, it was very much worth it.

Most importantly they realized that their love was not just a passing thing, but it was meant to last _forever_.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading, my lovely readers! I really hope you liked this chapter, especially the last scene. ;) Please, share your thoughts with me. I would really like to know what you think, whether you liked it or not.

This is unofficially the end of the story. But, since you were so nice to me with your reviews I decided to reward you with a short epilogue, which will be posted very soon. :)


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